Luke Walker's family's frustration over delays to trial

A man from the Black Country was due to go on trial in Greece today accused of killing his girlfriend on the holiday island of Crete – but his family are frustrated at feared delays.

Luke Walker, aged 24, of Brierley Hill, is accused on beating his girlfriend Chelsea Hyndman, 20, to death in the resort of Malia in May 2010.

His trial was set to get underway at Heraklion Mixed Court as scheduled today.

But a strike by Greek judges means the court will only sit for one day, and a date for further hearings has yet to be set.

Judges will be on strike each day in Greece until October 31 as industrial action continues across the country, with metro workers and doctors also staging walkouts in protest at Government cuts. His father Patrick said the family were “very frustrated” by the developments.

“We have been waiting for this for over a year,” said the 55-year-old, who runs Brierley Hill-based Walker’s Electrics.“We’ve had to stop three of our witnesses coming over. Another three were already on their way when we found out.”

Luke Walker has been forced to remain in Greece since he was charged. His family has been travelling back and forth to see Luke, who has been staying in a rented apartment.

Miss Hyndman, from Castleford, Yorkshire, died a day after she was admitted to hospital in Heraklion suffering from abdominal pain. She had been transferred to the Venizelio hospital where she underwent an operation but died in intensive care. Walker claims Chelsea’s injuries were caused by a fall on a night out.

He was arrested, spending 150 days behind bars before being released after his family handed over up to £15,000 bail money to the Greek courts. Supporters have booked a hotel in Stallis, just a 25-minute drive from Heraklion where the trial will take place.

A total of 11 witnesses will form the basis of his defence against the prosecution’s claims that her injuries were caused during a fit of jealous rage by him.